Texas town gets peach of an idea

Crawford develops plan to handle sudden fame

CRAWFORD {AP} Already flush with a steady stream of tourists, this one-stoplight town near President Bush's ranch expects to be bustling in August as its famous neighbor plans a monthlong stay.

But folks here are developing a plan, thanks to an empathetic town some 960 miles away.

Locals in former President Jimmy Carter's hometown  Plains, Ga., population 716  recently hosted a group from Crawford and gave advice on surviving and even thriving amid newfound fame.

"We found out a lot from them  things they did right and things they did wrong. You kind of have a feeling for one another," Crawford Mayor Robert Campbell said. "Their advice was, 'Don't let your town change because of this."'

Crawford, a once-thriving agricultural community of 700 people about 20 miles west of Waco, was just another small Texas town before Bush bought the 1,600-acre spread in 1999. Tourists started trickling in during the Texas governor's presidential campaign and haven't stopped.

People stop at the town's two gas stations or handful of downtown stores asking for directions to the ranch, which locals have dubbed "Bushland." The ranch cannot be seen from the road, and cars are banned from parking in the area.

Bush rarely is seen in town during his visits. He arrived at the ranch Saturday and has only one public event planned in the area  nearby Waco  until he returns to the White House on Sept. 4.

Locals are getting used to the visitors, who don't seem deterred by the lack of access to the ranch or less-than-remote possibility of getting a glimpse of the president.

The story was similar in rural Plains, when Carter started his campaign. His 1976 election as the country's 39th president only increased the public's interest in his hometown.

Up to 10,000 visitors a day inundated the town, and new businesses were booming  souvenir shops, tour companies, antique stores, eateries.

"This was a town where a chicken crossed the road and traffic stopped," said Jan Williams, who owns Plains Step A-Board, a tour company. "But suddenly, traffic was stopped because there were so many cars, nobody could get through. It was overwhelming."

But not everyone prospered. The grocery store went out of business because residents were too busy tending to their own shops and tourists, as well as fighting traffic.

Although the town had no motels or large restaurants, leaders decided not to attract such businesses that would not stay afloat long term.

Taking a lesson from Plains, Crawford leaders are working toward slow, planned growth. Existing shops have seen increased sales due to Bush T-shirts, mugs and other merchandise, and several gift and snack stores have opened the past few months.

"We don't want to bank too much on this but do want to meet tourists' needs," Campbell said. "And we're not forgetting about our local citizens."